Beta Sigma Psi - Purdue University

page 3 Beta sigma psi Outstanding BROtHeR sPOtLigHt n athaniel Smock '12 is a junior in the college of education, and is an active ambassador for the school. As an ambassador, he is responsible for representing the college at various information fairs as well as giving tours to prospective Purdue students. Not only does Nate excel academically, but he is also extremely involved in our Chapter. Currently, he is 1st Vice President and scholarship chairman. As scholarship chairman, he has helped introduce a new in-house study program. To date, this new incentive- based program has inspired actives and associates to excel in their classwork and to improve upon previous semesters' work. Along with this, he is the current treasurer for Zook Competition Engineering, an offshoot organization of our Chapter dedicated to Grand Prix and recruitment, where he has begun securing several sponsorships for the Grand Prix team. Additionally, Nate plays trombone in the Purdue jazz band. As a part of the Purdue jazz band, he has played for several events including presidential dinners for both France Cordova and Mitch Daniels. Nate's contributions to Purdue and Beta Sigma Psi exemplify what it means to be a Beta Sig, and we are proud to call him one of our brothers. W ith the retirement of Pastor Barton '90 and the election of a new alumni board in the fall semester, many things have changed at Beta Sigma Psi. These changes have shown the resilience and great character of our active and alumni brothers, and have created momentum for the Chapter heading into the summer months. Beta Sig Sundays Reinvigorated The end of the fall semester brought about the re- tirement of our longtime pastoral advisor, Pastor Jim Barton. While we are saddened to no longer worship with him each week, our actives decided to revive a program lost for several years in Beta Sig Sundays. For one Sunday each month, our Chapter will attend church together at University Lutheran (LCMS), Our Savior (ELCA), and St. James Lafayette (LCMS) on a rotating basis. Giving Back As Beta Sigma Psi has always strived to be an ex- ample of a great Fraternity at Purdue, our broth- ers have dedicated many hours to giving back to the community we are a part of. This Christian stewardship has manifested itself in several dif- ferent forms throughout our brotherhood. Last semester's outstanding brother has become the president of Big Brothers Big Sisters, and has even recruited actives to join and give back. Also, Beta Chapter has teamed up with Omega Chapter (Indiana) to provide a majority of the volunteer work for the LCMS Indiana District Youth Gathering, a retreat for all Indiana District high school age teens. This has proven beneficial as it has not only generated interest among high school teens, but has also furthered our relation- ship with churches in Indiana. Fall Athletic Goals Realized Although many other houses have recently had more resources for athletic success, we set a lofty goal last semester to reach the finals of an intra- mural sport. Through the hard work of several brothers, we were able to reach the final game in volleyball. This unlikely run to the champion- ship game could not have happened without the perseverance of all team members as well as the support of the rest of the active Chapter. To continue upon our recent athletic success, we turned our attention to basketball. Prior to this season, we had not won a game in three years. However, the combination of senior leadership, freshmen talent, and hard work led to an upset victory in the regular season and a current run in the playoffs. Recruitment Process Expanded Over the past two years, our active brothers have been expanding our recruitment process. This academic year has yielded eight new members, but we were looking for more. Keeping our re- cruitment goal in mind of 15 accepted fall bids, our active Chapter reached out to Brent Seifert '88, and began working with him on a state-wide recruitment system for high school seniors. This system combined with the alumni scholarship program has already produced good results, but we are always looking for more ways to improve. If you know of a good Lutheran coming to Pur- due next year, please e-mail myself or one of our recruitment chairmen, which can be found on www.betasigs.org. New Maintenance Director Hired We are excited to be working with our new maintainance director, Mark Brown, to keep the Chapter House in top shape. As such, he has already fixed several items that have long been in need of repair and is planning several more. These repairs, which range from plumbing and electrical to aesthetics, have improved the overall functionality of the Chapter House as well as the curb appeal. As we look toward the 2014-15 academic year, our Chapter has spent time furthering our com- mitment to the three S's. This commitment and a renewed spirit will make for an exciting new year! Fraternally, Jake Cronauer '11 Chapter President jcronaue@purdue.edu update from the active Chapter Matthew Elliot '13 paints a Habitat for Humanity house in greater Lafayette.

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